The present invention relates generally to an adjustable headwear in the form of a cap or a visor which is adjustable to fit a range of head sizes. In particular, the cap or visor is constructed of a uni-axially stretchable material with a bi-axially stretchable sweatband around the inside periphery of the cap or visor. Attached to the front of the headwear is a bill, a rigid structure that shields the wearer""s eyes and is preferably arched.
In the past, attempts have been made to provide a cap, such as a baseball cap, which can fit different wearers in a range of head sizes. A common way for adjusting the size of the cap employs an adjustable strap disposed at the back of the cap for adjustment by the wearer. Typically, attached to one side of the rear of the cap is a variable-length strap with holes for receiving a projecting snap fastener element provided on another portion of the cap, for example on another strap also attached to the other side of the rear of the cap. This arrangement is referred to as a snap back arrangement, referring to the location of the snap in the back of the cap. An open area is disposed above the portion of the cap having the adjustable-length strap, to permit the adjustment to be made without significantly distorting the shape of the cap. Such caps are in widespread use today, and such adjustable size caps are also referred to hereafter as multi-size caps.
Typically, such multi-size caps are created through the use of the above-mentioned variable-length snap arrangement, to accommodate head or hat sizes ranging from 7 inches to 7 xc2xeinches in xe2x85x9inch increments. However, in case of someone with the head size between 7 and 7 xe2x85x9, the fit is not exact. An improper adjustment in size lacks comfort and with time causes the shape of the cap to change. A further disadvantage is that the opening in the back and the snap arrangement itself detracts from the aesthetics of the cap. Using a mating hook-and-loop fastener (e.g., VELCRO(copyright) fasteners) for the size adjustment does not solve the above problems associated with the known multi-size caps. The use of such fasteners often becomes inadvertently undone causing the cap to fall off the wearer""s head. Moreover, the hook-and-loop fasteners are rather stiff and are uncomfortable. Furthermore, where the adjustment is improper, it causes the cap body to wrinkle and be distorted.
Single size caps do not have t he aforementioned defects, but they are costly to manufacture and require a manufacturer and a retailer to carry a very substantial inventory so as to have available a sufficient number of caps in each specific size. For example, to stock 10 caps in each of 10 sizes, for 10 different cap styles, and in 10 different colors, would already require stocking 10,000 caps. Even then, the single size cap, not being custom fitted, only approximates the wearer""s head size, and therefore does not fit exactly and can be uncomfortable.
Multi-size caps have been described to overcome the problems associated with the single size caps and the snap back arrangement. U.S. Pat. No 4,274,157 describes a ventilated cap having an adjustable sweatband secured to the front of the cap with VELCRO(copyright) fasteners. The degree of adjustment is limited by the short VELCRO(copyright) fasteners. The insertion of the band with the VELCRO(copyright) fasteners forces the cap forward on the head distorting the shape and making the cap less comfortable and less aesthetically appealing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,007 describes a cap with an elongated band to serve as ear flaps. The size of the cap is adjusted by the use of a stretchable fabric for the crown of the cap and having the ear flap band folded into the cap. However, the amount of stretch in a single direction provided by the crown is limited and the fit can be a problem when the ear flap band is unfolded for use in cold weather.
A segmented cap is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,524 wherein the size is adjusted by the use of a sweatband with a rigid portion, a VELCRO(copyright) strip in the front and an elastic at the back. The sweatband is then attached to a bill portion and a crown portion by corresponding VELCRO(copyright) strips.
Another example of a known multi-size cap is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,939 to Howe. This reference teaches a hat structure formed of a knit fabric body and having a removable headband. The headband is attached to a body via hook-and-loop fasteners mounted on the headband and the hat body.
The hat of the Howe patent is constructed by using weft yam in combination with elastic yam and non-elastic warp yam. The material is 20% uni-axially stretchable. It also includes an ear flap made of weft knitted fabric located along the crown beginning and ending in the bill portion. The ear flaps are provided for the comfort of the wearer during cold weather. The ear flaps in the Howe reference are folded up when not in use and may be used as a sweatband. However, due to the width and thickness of the ear flaps, in instances when a wearer""s head exactly fits the cap when the ear flaps are down, the cap will not fit properly once the flaps are folded up because the thickness of the ear flaps cannot be accommodated by the cap body, which is not stretchable.
A headband is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,106,075 to Tabley. This reference specifically teaches a sweatband made of an inflexible material such as silk, silk and cotton, or rayon silk. It does not teach a structure composed of a stretchable material.
Another cap is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,514 to Woehl. This reference teaches constructions of a cap having a rear gore in the crown of a stretchable material to provide size adjustment. It also teaches a cap spanned by a tab which may be an elastic band, a mating hook-and-loop fastener, or a snap fastener adjustable to variable lengths to fit a variety of head sizes. The Woehl reference does not disclose a headpiece and sweatband that is bi-axially stretchable.
A free-size cap is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,540 to Cho. In this patent, a sweatband made of a uni-axially stretchable fabric is sewn into the interior lower periphery of a multi-gored cap. In addition, a conventional flat bill is attached to the crown. The Cho reference attempts to address increased manufacturing costs associated with single-size caps, lost aesthetic appeal, and decreased comfort associated with multi-size caps. However, it only partially addresses some of the problems. The Cho reference does not disclose or teach the use of a sweatband made of bi-axially stretchable fabric to provide greater comfort and fit. Further, Cho does not describe the use of an arched bill to coach with the stretchable sweatband to provide improved fit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a baseball-style cap or a visor having a structure which is capable of multi-size use and which is comfortable, functional and attractive in its use and appearance.
Other and further objectives of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings. The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to an embodiment which is illustrated in the drawings.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable headwear having an appearance of being fitted comprising a headpiece, made of uni-axially stretchable material stretchable in a chordial direction around the head, formed to fit around the head and fixably attached to a front portion of the headpiece, a bill for shading the eyes from sunlight also made of uni-axially stretchable material stretchable across the width of the bill, and stretchably stitched to the interior peripheral edge of the headpiece is a sweatband made of bi-axially stretchable material stretchable chordially and in a direction perpendicular thereto.
The adjustable headwear may be in the form of a cap with a multi-gore shell forming a crown and attached to the crown portion, a bill portion for shading the eyes. The adjustable headwear of the present invention may also be a visor with a headband and a bill portion attached to the headband. The adjustable headwear according to the present invention is preferably formed in two sizes, one size to get a standard range of head sizes from S to M (small to medium), and another to fit L to XL (large to extra-large).
The structure of the present invention permits a cap to be designed which is attractive in use, comfortable for the wearer, and further provides the advantageous feature of multiple size capability without requiring an open back portion or adjustment of an adjustable strap member or the like.
Another significant advantage of the adjustable headwear according to the present invention is that it has the aesthetic appeal of a fixed-size headwear, being capable of custom fitting all wearers within a predetermined range of head sizes, without the use of an unsightly adjustable fastener portion and/or opening on the back of the cap or visor.
A further significant advantage of the adjustable headwear according to the present invention is that it is capable of comfortably fitting all wearers within a predetermined range of head sizes like a custom fitted headwear, without the unsightly distortion in shape or the discomfort due to differences in head size.